We know, you probably love your bike just as it is already – but it can be a lot better!

GET YOUR BIKE SET UP

The term ‘setting your bike up’ can cover a plethora of options. Yes, most of us just get used to the bike we have, and unless we’re a modding mentalist or setup perfectionist will occasionally throw a few bits at them when we can.

Setting a bike up can be split into two main camps: chassis and engine. With suzzies, the majority of bikers ride their bikes as is, nothing wrong with that, we’ve done the same in the past. But there’s nothing quite like setting it specifically for what you do most.

When it comes to the engine, who wouldn’t want more power? As you’re reading this in Fast Bikes, we’ll take it as read that you probably would. But how it breathes and fuels is crucial. Anyhoo, here are some tips and tipples for approaching both.

SUSPENSION

We hit up our local suspension experts JHS Racing for their sage words on setup. JHS work on road and race bikes, including racing the Isle of Man TT, with all kinds of suspension brands, with a huge wealth of experience to delve into, as young Wills explains…

STATIC SETUP

“When we do a static suspension setup, the first thing we do is get the bike in and have a good look about it, see what suspension is fitted – OE or aftermarket – what tyres are fitted, what the chain condition is like and we also check it for leaks. If it is leaking, which is common on older bikes, then it’s a waste of time until it’s fixed. The reception girls will have also taken notes on you and your bike, how you use it, your weight and so on. We’ll do a slightly different setup on your bike, so if you mostly commute on it we’ll set it as such, the same goes for if you’re more a 50/50 road/track rider.